Chris Rudge

Chris Rudge was named chief executive officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) in January 2003.

Rudge is a former senior executive with Quebecor World Inc., the world's largest commercial printer, employing 43,000 people at 160 plants in 16 countries in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

During his 12-year tenure with the company, Rudge held several executive positions: executive vice president of marketing, communications and international development, and chairman, CEO and president of Que-Net Media. He also served as president of Quebecor Printing Canada as well as president of International Operations (Europe & Latin America) and special assistant to the CEO at Quebecor Printing Inc.

Prior to joining Quebecor in 1991, Rudge was president and co-owner of the Pickering, Ontario-based Web Offset Publications. Also well-versed in marketing, he worked at Maclean Hunter Printing as general manager, sales and marketing and has held various senior advertising sales positions at The Financial Post, including national advertising manager.

Rudge’s sports background includes experience as an athlete, teacher, coach and administrator. He began his professional career as a physical education teacher with the Toronto Board of Education, teaching both junior and senior high school students. A lacrosse fan, he played competitively with the Syracuse Stingers of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). He also served as director of personnel with the NLL's Les Caribou de Québec, and coached the Canadian National Field Lacrosse Team.

Rudge has long been active on a number of boards in the corporate, cultural and education sectors. He currently serves on the boards of Merrill Lynch, Canada; National Ballet of Canada; and Country Day School, where he is vice chairman. He is also involved with the School of Graphic Communications Management at Ryerson University and University of Toronto’s Department of Athletics Restricted Funds Committee. Previously, he was a member of the Province of Ontario's Olympic Trust and Waterfront Development Board.

Rudge holds a teaching certificate from Queen's University and a Bachelor (Honours) of Physical and Health Education from the University of Toronto. He resides in Thornhill, Ontario with his wife Janet Nutter, a medallist in diving at the Commonwealth Games (1978) and Pan American Games (1975 and 1979). They have two children.